When
Why
Join us to explore the implications of the US-Australia Force Posture Agreement (FPA) and Initiatives (USFPI’s) and to contribute to the development of a campaign to terminate the FPA. Our Concerns include the increasing militarisation in Australia and the US undermining Australian Sovereignty and setting Australia up as a launch pad for war against China by:
- Stationing nuclear-capable strategic bombers in the Northern Territory
- Increased US troop rotations
- Rotation of US Virginia class nuclear powered submarines (SSNs) at HMAS Stirling, Garden Island, WA commencing in 2027
Facilitator: John Lander is a former Deputy Ambassador to China (1974-76); former Ambassador to Iran (1985–88). As Director of the China Section of DFAT on three separate occasions over a 30 years career, he personally negotiated China Consular Relations, and helped develop a mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.
Speakers
- Kellie Tranter is a lawyer and human rights activist and headed IPAN’s People’s Inquiry into the costs and consequences of Australia’s involvement in U.S. wars, the alliance and alternatives.
- Richard Tanter is Honorary professor in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne, and Senior Research Associate, Nautilus Institute – publications here. He has researched, written and spoken extensively about U.S. military bases in Australia, Pine Gap, in particular.
- Mike Gilligan 22 April 2023, Pearls and Irritations: “Australia has been fuelling the fire of conflict for years, through a war preparation mechanism, by intergovernmental agreement, tabled quietly in Parliament in 2014 – enabling the United States to build the machinery to wage war with China from our territory, utilising our forces and resources – at its pleasure. While it should be called the “Pathway to War with China Agreement”, it goes by the debate-deadening moniker of “Force Posture Agreement” (FPA).”
- Bevan Ramsden: War preparations lead to legislative amendments, Pearls and Irritations, 20th April 2023